It’s been a while since I’ve come across a game that I’ve been this excited about since its early access launch. This is the latest title from Radical Fish Games, the developer behind 'CrossCode'—a game that fans of the genre have long praised for its incredible replayability. Given the positive reception 'Alabaster Dawn' received when its first demo was released last September, the early access version certainly doesn't disappoint.
The world of 'Alabaster Dawn,' rendered in top-down 2.5D pixel art, tells the story of 'Tyran Sol,' a wasteland cursed by a mysterious entity known as Nyx. The 'Chosen,' warriors appointed by the gods, led humanity in a counterattack against Nyx, but when the gods fell silent at a critical moment, the world was left in ruins.
The protagonist, Juno, is an 'Outcast' Chosen who failed to become an official warrior. After waking from a long slumber, Juno sets out on a solo journey to save the world. Along the way, Juno is joined by Cabbage, a manatee-like creature that awakens at the same time, and meets new allies while working to restore the world. Through this process, players uncover the truth behind the gods' silence and the nature of Nyx.
The game is a top-down 2.5D pixel-art action RPG. (As of the Early Access version) players can freely swap and combine four different weapons to defeat enemies, solve environmental puzzles, and explore new routes.
The combat action itself is very fast-paced. The development team stated that they inherited the strengths of their previous title, 'CrossCode,' while drawing inspiration from games like 'Devil May Cry' and 'Kingdom Hearts,' and that influence is clearly felt. The four weapons—sword, crossbow, hammer, and chakram—each have distinct characteristics, and players can easily switch between them during battle to take down foes.
These weapon traits make elemental affinities very noticeable when facing enemies. Players can swap weapons freely during combat, and as these weapons level up, they unlock unique 'Combat Arts' and passive skills, making them even more powerful.
While standard enemies often swarm the player, creating a frantic pace, boss battles feel more focused on identifying and countering specific patterns. While perfect dodges and parries are the most effective ways to respond to attacks, simply dodging well and landing hits is enough to get by. The game possesses a clear direction and solid, honest fundamentals. Additionally, each weapon can be imbued with one of four elements, and enemies often appear with their own corresponding weaknesses or defenses.
Because of this, while the combat tempo is quite fast, it requires a good sense of rhythm and carries a satisfying weight. Rather than relying on endless combos, the key to success feels like making strategic decisions, swapping weapons quickly, and responding to the situation.
There is one more essential element to combat: 'Divine Arts.' These are powerful magical finishers, one for each element, triggered by consuming 'Divine Charge' built up during battle. They are incredibly useful for dealing a decisive blow to tough enemies or bosses that are difficult to handle with standard combos. Once you get into the flow of swapping weapons, chaining combos, and unleashing Divine Arts at the right moment, the combat feels even more exhilarating.
The game features an intuitive and clear action language, and the impact and handling of each weapon feel excellent. The combat is built on such solid fundamentals that it makes for a truly engaging and enjoyable experience.
The game uses pixel art to its absolute limit to create a magnificent world. ©INVEN Character dialogue also maintains a consistent art style. ©INVEN The game also features quite impressive cinematic direction. ©INVEN Weapons and skills can be customized and upgraded. ©INVEN The skill tree is quite diverse, with a variety of effects. ©INVEN Regular meals also boost your cooking abilities! ©INVEN
Beyond weapons, there are intuitive upgrade paths for the character, such as gems and skill points. These systems are also used to explore the world and solve map-based puzzles.
The visuals are also quite impressive. In a top-down 2.5D game, representing elevation is key, and thanks to the refined pixel art, the height of the terrain is intuitively readable. This clarity in elevation makes puzzles and gimmicks easier to solve, a point that has been well-received by most players.
Furthermore, every character animation during combat is smooth and solid, with almost no awkwardness. The sophisticated pixel art that brings the world and characters to life is excellent. The world of 'Alabaster Dawn,' built with this art style, is so well-integrated with exploration and hidden elements that it can easily be described as a 'world that is a joy to explore.'
With convenient features like map markers and fast travel, as well as adjustable difficulty settings, the game feels accessible to everyone. The Early Access version includes a roguelite mode for the late game, though it doesn't affect the story—it's simply there for those who want more to do.
Of course, there are some shortcomings. While minor bugs are understandable, I couldn't help but feel that the addition of haptic feedback would have made the action feel even more intense. The controls for ranged weapons (crossbow and chakram) might also be a matter of personal preference.
The structure of the 'Trial of Aether,' a type of dungeon, is also a bit disappointing. Unlike the open field, this area focuses on high-difficulty puzzles. Having constant, minor combat encounters while trying to solve these puzzles feels unnecessary, and it will likely be a point of contention for players who prefer to focus on one thing at a time.
Personally, I found the protagonist, Juno, and the companion, Cabbage, to be lacking in charm. While it's clear that Juno is introverted, at the moment, the character is frustratingly unable to express any agency. Cabbage, meanwhile, just says cryptic things that don't seem to mean much. Of course, these are things that could easily be improved as the story progresses.
Are these flaws fatal? Absolutely not. They are merely minor gripes; the charm of the combat, the world, and the gameplay experience that 'Alabaster Dawn' aims to deliver come through clearly. The issues I've pointed out are understandable given that it is in 'Early Access,' and I believe they can be polished into something even better. My only other concern is the lack of Korean language support and the uncertainty regarding future support.
If you enjoyed the developer's previous game, 'CrossCode,' I believe you will find great joy in this title. It has the potential to be a truly evolved, even more enjoyable game. Since the Early Access version is said to be about 20% of the total content, I look forward to seeing it polished into a fantastic game with even more content in the future.
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